SUBJECT:
Title
Request for Direction on Lake County's Intent to Change Medical Examiner Districts
Body
INITIATOR: DEPARTMENT:
Mounir Bouyounes, Administration
County Administrator
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
To seek direction from the Marion County Board of County Commissioners regarding the appropriate course of action in response to Lake County’s intention to leave Medical Examiner (ME) District 5 and join District 24 with Seminole County.
In 2018, Seminole County (District 24) requested to join District 5 for Medical Examiner services. Later that year, the District 5 Medical Examiner Advisory Committee agreed to allow Seminole County to join District 5, with Seminole County covering the first-year costs of $1,513,558. This amount included an annual facility expansion offset charge of $34,920 to offset any upcoming additional costs to the District 5 counties resulting from the acceleration of the timeline to commence the expansion of the Leesburg facility.
Since early 2020, and at the request of the Medical Examiner and the Advisory Committee, Marion County has been working toward establishing a new facility. This process involved collaborating with architects on conceptual designs and site plans, selecting land parcels for the facility’s location, and conducting an extensive RFP process to choose a construction manager. The Medical Examiner Advisory Committee for Districts 5 and 24 have been kept informed and have unanimously approved each step of the process.
At the Medical Examiner Advisory Committee meeting on November 13, 2024, the Lake County representative expressed the County’s intent to withdraw from District 5 and join District 24. Seminole County has indicated its willingness to proceed with this change. This development significantly impacts the planned efforts for a new Medical Examiner facility for District 5, which have been placed on hold pending further direction.
Considering the events at the November 13th meeting, we have reviewed ways to recover the costs expended by Marion County for District 24’s inclusion. These costs include the design of the proposed new facility, property appraisals, land purchases, and future obligations, totaling $3,140,152. In the existing Interlocal Agreement between the counties in Districts 5 and 24, each county contributes a percentage based on its population. We have used this same methodology to present options for recovering Marion County’s costs, which are attached to this agenda item.
On January 15, 2025, we were notified by Lake County’s Assistant County Attorney that Lake and Seminole counties have been working on a new Interlocal Agreement, reflecting Lake County’s desire to leave District 5 and join District 24. This new agreement was approved by Seminole County on January 14, 2025, and will be voted on by Lake County on January 21, 2025. Attached is County Attorney Minter’s email with his analysis of the proposed interlocal agreement between Lake County and Seminole County. The next step is for the Medical Examiner’s Commission to hear this matter. Their next meeting is on February 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., where the issue may be discussed. Marion County representatives will be in attendance.
On November 18, 2024, Marion County Fire Rescue Chief James Banta sent a letter to the Chairman of the Board for each county represented in Districts 5 and 24 requesting their input on the following:
• Makeup of District 5 and the continued partnership with District 24
• Reimbursement from Districts 5 and 24 Counties as to the expenditures Marion County incurred for this project.
• Direction on the status of the halted Medical Examiner facility project
Today we are requesting the Marion County Board of County Commissioners direction on the items listed above.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Discussion and direction
end